The Potential of Viable Ocean Wave Mega Power Conversion

[philb]

The Potential of Viable Ocean Wave Mega Power Conversion

Several new technologies that convert ocean waves into electric power have appeared at test installations off the coasts of Ireland, Scotland, the Orkney Islands and Portugal. Technology that can convert ocean wave energy into electric power is still in its early prototype stage of development and its cost per kilowatt is high. As the technology evolves and is developed further over the next several years, its capital cost and long-term maintenance cost could likely decrease. Ocean wave energy is an indirect form of solar thermal energy that heats large masses of land and large expanses of ocean at different rates, thereby causing winds to blow over several thousand square miles of ocean surface and deliver energy in the form of ocean waves to coastal regions.
Throughout most of the world, ocean wave energy is diffuse. There are a few of locations where a variety of factors contribute to higher energy levels in ocean waves at select locations. These factors include strong winds blowing over very large surface areas of ocean and toward coastal regions that are very close to a steep continental shelf. Waves generated over ocean of great depth have small amplitude (height) and a long wavelength (distance between peaks). As these ocean waves propagate over a steep continental shelf to shallower water depths, wavelength decreases and wave height increases to levels that are favourable for ocean wave conversion into electrical energy.
Premium locations for viable ocean wave power conversion include:
1) Brazil's East Coast between Ilheus and Natal (700-miles): Southeast trade winds blow over deep Brazilian Basin and toward steep continental shelf that is very near the Brazilian coast.
2) Madagascar's East Coast (800-miles): Southeast trade winds blow over deep Southeastern Madagascar Basin in southern Indian Ocean and toward steep sub-oceanic shelf along Madagascar's East Coast. Cyclonic storm region exists over Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.
3) South Africa's "Wild Coast" between Port Elizabeth and Durban (400-miles); southern Southeast trade winds blow over southeastern Madagascar Basin as well as Natal Basin in south Indian Ocean and toward steep continental shelf off South Africa's east coast. South Equatorial current merges with Mozambique current and Agulhas current in this region.
Locations with potential for viable ocean wave power generation include:
-Southwest coast of Chile, south of Valdivia (800-miles); due to the Westerlies blowing over southern Indian Ocean, Southwestern Pacific Basin and Southeast Pacific Basin and pushing ocean waves toward multiple inlets and islands along southern Chile's rugged west coast.
-East coast of the Lesser Antilles and north coast of Guyana; Northeast trade winds blow over the Cape Verde Basin and Guiana Basin toward steep sub-oceanic shelf near the east coasts of the Lesser Antilles.
-Northwest coasts of Portugal and Spain (and Southwest coast of France in the Bay of Biscay); due to the Westerlies blowing over the Nova Scotia Basin, Newfoundland Basin and West European Basin in the north Atlantic.
-Northwest coastal regions of Ireland and Scotland; due to Westerlies blowing over the Nova Scotia Basin, Newfoundland Basin in the north Atlantic. Shape of entrances to the Bristol Channel, Dingle Bay, Shannon, Galway Bay, Donegal Bay and Firth of Lorne can increase amplitude of incoming ocean waves.
-East coasts of Australia’s Cape York Peninsula and Gulf of Papua: Southeast Trade winds and Southeast Monsoon blow over Pacific Ocean and Coral Sea. Narrowing waterway and steep undersea shelf east of Torres Strait increases amplitude of ocean waves in Gulf of Papua and northeastern Australian coast.
-West coast of Tasmania: Westerlies blow over large expanses of South Atlantic Ocean as well as southern Indian Ocean.
-Gulf of Guinea coast between Tabou, Ivory Coast and Lagos, Nigeria (600-miles): Southeast Trade winds and coastal winds blow over the Cape Basin and the Angola Basin toward steep continental shelf. Cold Benguala current collides with the warm Equatorial Counter current and Guinea current in this region
-Southwest coast of Alaska and west coast of Queen Charlotte Islands: Westerlies blow over North Pacific Ocean and pushing ocean waves toward multiple inlets and islands along this coastal region. Entrance to Bristol Bay and Dixon Entrance can increase ocean wave amplitude.
-Southeast Newfoundland at Placentia Bay and St Mary's Bay: Westerlies blow over Northwest Atlantic Basin and Nova Scotia Basin. Cold Labrador Current meets warm North Atlantic Drift east of the Avalon Peninsula and causes rough seas with potential to generate electric power.

[applegrove]

1. Would that we could harness the ocean.Good news. We need it!